New Stevie background vocal discovery

Sanne2 · #1 05-14-2010, 06:40 AM

Not sure if this is common knowledge among Stevie-fans, but I only just found out Stevie does background vocals on this Bob Dylan song:

According to Wikipedia the song was on the soundtrack of a 1986 movie of the same name, Dylan recorded the song while on tour in Sydney, Australia on February 9 and 10, 1986 and he is backed on the recording by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and a group of background singers including Stevie.
Stevie is pretty prominent in some parts, you can also hear Elisecia Wright.

mikebise · #2 05-14-2010, 07:07 AM

I used to have this on vinyl and forgot about it.

Is it available to buy somewhere, like iTunes?

Great piece of Stevie history!!!!!

wildheart048 · #3 05-15-2010, 03:51 AM

Wow! This is the first i am hearing of this! Just when I thought I had every last piece of Stevie BVs! Awesome! thank you! And the hunt begins...

mikebise · #4 05-15-2010, 08:39 AM

NOT available on iTunes.

wildheart048 · #5 05-16-2010, 03:12 AM

nope, nor amazon mp3 or emusic either ...

skuncles · #6 05-16-2010, 07:10 AM

I don't think Stevie is actually on this. Tom Petty isn't even on it, he produced it. But the original credit to the song is "Bob Dylan and The Heartbreakers" and the Heartbreakers are listed. The production credit goes to Tom. For some reason I recall hearing that Stevie was supposed to have been on the track but ended up not doing it. WikiPedia is the only place I can find that mentions Stevie being on it (and WikiPedia isn't the most reliable source for instance it says that Stevie's "Rock A Little" ran from 1985-1986, when in fact the tour didn't even begin until April of '86).
There isn't a single Stevie disography that mentions her involvement with this track. I'm going to have to go thru my Rolling Stone's and see what I can find. I remember hearing about this song back in the day.

Stevieforever · #7 05-16-2010, 08:16 AM

I agree with skuncles. I honestly don't know if she's on it or not, but if she is, I certainly can't hear her.

ButterCookie · #8 05-16-2010, 08:27 AM

http://www.mediafire.com/?zmwijhvwjz2

Wether you can hear it or not. I've not listened yet because I don't like Bob Dylan

mikebise · #9 05-16-2010, 08:28 AM

Maybe that's why I never kept the vinyl. I know I had the album because of the Stevie connection, but don't remember her on it.

sleepless child · #10 05-16-2010, 08:30 AM

I had heard this before also and have this somewhere. After downloading and listening to it, I thought Stevie wasn't on it either. I don't hear her in the mix anywhere.

ButterCookie · #11 05-16-2010, 08:42 AM

According to the oracle

"Dylan is backed on the recording by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and a group of background singers including Stevie Nicks. The recording was produced by Tom Petty."

skuncles · #12 05-16-2010, 09:05 AM

According to the 45rpm sleeve: "Bob Dylan with The Heartbreakers. Produced by Tom Petty. The Heartbreakers: Mike Campbell, Howie Epstein, Stan Lynch, Benmont Tench. Bob Dylan appears courtesy of Columbia Records". This was released on MCA records, if Stevie were on it, it would also say "Stevie Nicks appears courtesy of Modern Records".
Finally I looked it up in Rolling Stone and in March of '86 there were two articles, the first mentioned the True Confessions tour down under and said how Bob and Tom and The Heartbreakers (along with the background singers listed on the Wiki page minus Stevie) spent the weekend in the studio with Dylan recording with the Heartbreakers and Tom producing. It then goes on to review the concert that night saying how Stevie Nicks was watching the show from the wings and ended up singing behind Stan Lynch's drum kit until Bob Dylan pulled her center stage to share a mic with him on "Knocking On Heavens Door".
The next article a week later says that after performing a couple of shows with Bob Dylan and Tom Petty on the True Confessions tour down under Stevie was told to stop because she did not have a working visa. So she flew home to begin preparing her Rock A Little tour which would begin in April.
I seem to remember hearing something about all of this on MTV and how she was supposed to have been recording with Tom and Bob, but because of the legal aspect she couldn't.

mikebise · #13 05-16-2010, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skuncles

According to the 45rpm sleeve: "Bob Dylan with The Heartbreakers. Produced by Tom Petty. The Heartbreakers: Mike Campbell, Howie Epstein, Stan Lynch, Benmont Tench. Bob Dylan appears courtesy of Columbia Records". This was released on MCA records, if Stevie were on it, it would also say "Stevie Nicks appears courtesy of Modern Records".

Stevie's not credited on 1985's "Don't Come Around Here No More" (an MCA release), and both Tom & Stevie confirm that she is indeed singing on the song.

Stevie's vocals are not credited on "Sorcerer" from Streets of Fire in 1984, another MCA release.

Stevie's not credited on "Separate Lives" from 1985 either.

I have no idea if Stevie is on this Bob Dylan song since I haven't downloaded it yet. But I remember buying the album back in the day and not hearing Stevie. But Stevie not being credited is not an isolated incident or even rare.

skuncles · #14 05-16-2010, 11:20 AM

The difference with those titles is there are several sources that say she is on those, the Dylan track has never been listed as being one of the tracks she's on. BUT there is the possibility that she is on the track since she was down there with those guys at the time it was recorded. I don't hear her on it.

Grinnygog · #15 06-17-2010, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikebise

Stevie's not credited on 1985's "Don't Come Around Here No More" (an MCA release), and both Tom & Stevie confirm that she is indeed singing on the song.

REALLY?!?! I've always heard her on that song, but found no mention of her appearing on it in the Stevie Universe.....so I assumed he found a backup singer that sounded like her.